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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24243505">Beating the Odds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenbanshee/pseuds/bansheequeen'>bansheequeen (queenbanshee)</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian'>xtremeroswellian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Smallville</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BAMF Chloe Sullivan, Bestest Cousins, Dinah's not very nice here, F/M, Gen, Neither is Ollie, Pissed off Lois Lane, Protective Lois Lane, To Dinah</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:27:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,193</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24243505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenbanshee/pseuds/bansheequeen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When a pissed Lois shows up to inform Ollie about some things Dinah said about her cousin, Ollie has some harsh words for the Black Canary.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lois Lane &amp; Oliver Queen, Oliver Queen/Chloe Sullivan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Beating the Odds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A couple days after the love of his life returned to town, Oliver Queen was sitting in his LuthorCorp office once more, attempting to work and not really being successful. He hated having to be away from Chloe after she'd been gone for so long, after he'd spent months believing he'd probably never see her again. Fear twisted at his gut anytime they were apart now--fear that he would wake up and realize it had all just been a dream. Fear that when he got back to Watchtower, she'd be gone again. Fear that the VRA or the Suicide Squad would take her away from him once more.</p><p>Rubbing a hand over his face, he blinked a couple of times and looked up when Lois Lane stormed through his office door, looking more than a little upset. On guard immediately, Oliver rose to his feet, his heart beating quickly in his chest.</p><p>She was gone again.</p><p>Oh, God.</p><p>"You seriously have to do something about the screaming banshee, Oliver," Lois said, placing her hands on her hips as she stared at him, "I see that woman at the Planet one more time, I don't care in which reality plane it is, I won't be responsible for my actions."</p><p>He blinked again. "Wait--you're here about Dinah?"</p><p>"Why do you trust her again? She's a bitch about my cousin and she used to work for Lex." Lois demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.</p><p>He rubbed a hand over his face, letting out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. He sat back on the edge of his desk. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>She cocked her head and watched him for a moment, "why did you think I was here?"</p><p>Oliver just shook his head a little. "I don't know."</p><p>"C'mon Ollie, is something else going on?" Lois asked, arching an eyebrow.</p><p>"No, I just...I thought it had something to do with Chloe," he admitted quietly, not quite meeting her eyes.</p><p>"Chloe is fine, Ollie, you can breathe," she assured him, "you need to relax or you're gonna give yourself a heart attack."</p><p>He shut his eyes for a moment, nodding a little as he relaxed. "Yeah, I just..." He rubbed a hand over his face wearily.</p><p>"You just what?" She asked, clearly concerned as she cocked her head.</p><p>"I'm just afraid something's going to happen," he admitted quietly, glancing up at her.</p><p>"She's not going to leave us again," Lois told him, at least she hoped that was the truth, "and she only did because it was necessary."</p><p>"I know, Lois." His voice was soft and he nodded. "So what did Dinah do that's got you so rattled?"</p><p>At that, Lois tensed again and took a deep breath, "right, she just walked into the Planet, demanding all this information from our database, like she has any right? Especially after everything that little bitch said."</p><p>"Wait, what did she say?" Oliver's eyebrows furrowed with confusion.</p><p>Lois' eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest, "how Chloe had nearly destroyed the team, something about Doomsday and she's the one who was trying to talk Clark into believing <i>my</i> cousin was a backstabber. Like she would do anything to hurt you, ever."</p><p>He stared at her, his eyes narrowing a little, as well. "She said that?"</p><p>"Clark didn't tell you?" Lois asked, frowning.</p><p>"No..." He frowned, as well. "What <i>exactly</i> did she say, Lois?"</p><p>"She put the idea in Clark's head that Chloe was responsible for our abductions, of course it would just be so much easier to blame it on Chlo than on the people she used to work for." Lois rolled her eyes, jaw tight, "talked some big talk about how Chloe would have contacted us if she really wanted to and how she and Clark had seen her experimenting on you and that <i>clearly</i> meant she was out to get all of us."</p><p>Lois paused, then went on, "then she started on how Chloe had shot two people and had taken you out of MetGen and how she would probably kill you too if you got in her way. Like <i>that</i> would ever happen," Lois scoffed, "not to mention when she accused Chloe of being a violent criminal and said she'd gladly watch her fry."</p><p>His jaw tightened as he stared at her, stunned by the words. Then he pushed himself off the desk and headed for the door, his eyes dark.</p><p>"Oliver?" Lois called, but didn't try to stop him.</p><p>"I'm gonna go have a word with Canary."</p><p>Lois smirked and raised her eyebrows, "tell her I said hi."</p><p>* * *</p><p>Oliver knocked on the motel room door and waited, his expression neutral as he tried to rein in the anger he was feeling.</p><p>Dinah opened the door a moment later, frowning a little when she saw Oliver standing there, she raised her eyebrows, "Oliver?" Cocking her head, she stepped aside and made room for him to come in, "what happened?"</p><p>"Why don't you tell me?" he asked evenly, stepping inside her room.</p><p>"Excuse me?"</p><p>"Why don't you tell me why Lois burst into my office more pissed than I've seen her in a very long time?"</p><p>Dinah's eyes narrowed at that, "figures Lois Lane can't do anything on her own without running to you or Clark for help."</p><p>"She didn't come for <i>help</i>. She came because she was pissed off and you should probably be glad she chose that route instead of putting a fist through your face, Canary."</p><p>"What is your problem, Oliver? I came to talk to her for information! Information all of <i>our</i> team should have! I always knew it was a bad idea to include that woman in on the secret."</p><p>"What information?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.</p><p>"Whatever else she has on the VRA." Dinah told him.</p><p>"How did you approach her for it? Did you ask nicely or did you just demand it?"</p><p>"You don't get things from her by asking nicely, Oliver, you should know that."</p><p>"Actually, I don't have any problems with Lois at all, Dinah. And oddly enough neither does anyone else on the team." He raised an eyebrow at her.</p><p>"You should." She said, arching an eyebrow at him.</p><p>"And why is that?" he asked evenly.</p><p>"Because she can't keep her mouth shut."</p><p>"What are you even talking about?" Oliver asked, quickly getting more annoyed.</p><p>"You should ask her," Dinah said, shrugging, "I'm not the one who can't keep my mouth shut."</p><p>"Apparently you can't, either," he responded, his eyes narrowing even more. "Why don't you tell <i>me</i> about the problem you have with Chloe."</p><p>Dinah's eyes narrowed with a hint of confusion, "I have a problem with Chloe?"</p><p>"Something about how she was a traitor, no better than a violent criminal and you wouldn't have a problem watching her fry?" His jaw tensed.</p><p>With her jaw tight, Dinah glared at him, "that wasn't real, Oliver and I don't know what Lois told you, but Clark believed it too."</p><p>"It might have been virtual reality, but it was powered by our subconscious minds, Dinah," he reminded her.</p><p>"You can't tell me you just believed her," Dinah said, "not even you are that stupid and naive, Oliver."</p><p>"I doubted at first," he admitted. "Until she asked me if I really thought she'd ever turn on us. And then I realized she would never do that. Ever."</p><p>"What I saw and what I was being told were two completely different things. I saw her <i>killing</i> someone, and people can change."</p><p>"You're right, they can. I mean, I murdered Lex Luthor in cold blood." Oliver gazed at her intently.</p><p>"Lex Luthor wasn't an innocent man." Dinah said, staring back at him.</p><p>"And VRA members who were trying to kill us are?"</p><p>"As far as I knew, they were officers." She told him, not backing down, "and all I saw was Chloe shooting them without blinking." Dinah arched an eyebrow, "for all I knew, you were next."</p><p>Oliver gaped at her. "You're kidding me, right?" There was utter disbelief in his voice.</p><p>"She has turned on us before, Oliver! Don't tell me you don't remember her running off with that serial killer."</p><p>His eyes narrowed. "She didn't <i>turn</i> on us at all. She was doing what she thought was the right thing, and trying to keep us all safe from that serial killer!"</p><p>"She wasn't thinking about anyone but herself." She told him, "and if you weren't so whipped by her in the first place, you would see that."</p><p>Oliver took a step toward her, now glaring at her. "I know her better than you ever will. But considering you were only thinking about yourself when you were working for <i>Lex</i> I guess I can see where you'd think everyone was as selfish as you." His jaw tensed a little more. "Chloe's made her mistakes just the same as the rest of us, and if you have issues with her, maybe you should take a long hard look in the mirror because you're far from perfect yourself."</p><p>"And you are completely unbiased, aren't you, Oliver?"</p><p>"Not even close," he responded, shaking his head. "But I do know Chloe well enough to know she'd never try and <i>kill</i> me." He turned and headed for the door.</p><p>"I'm sure that's what Jimmy thought too."</p><p>Oliver stiffened, then turned to face her with pure contempt. "Fuck you, Dinah."</p><p>"Open your eyes, Oliver!" She told him, "you think Chloe is perfect, you think she can do no wrong and all her mistakes are forgiven and forgotten, but not even <i>Clark</i> trusts her anymore and <i>he</i> knows her better than everyone else. She ran off on you once, her only concern is herself."</p><p>"If it wasn't for Chloe? We'd all be <i>dead</i> right now. Do you even realize that?" He glared at her. "We'd still be in that fucking VRA mind warp or they'd have killed us all. And Clark?" He laughed, but it was devoid of humor. "He's a good guy and all when he's not being a total jackass, but he's not the brightest bulb in the socket, either. He and Chloe haven't been close for a long time now." He shook his head. "And for the record, no. I don't think Chloe's perfect. I just happen to love her anyway. And when you love someone,  you forgive them when they hurt you, especially when they never wanted to in the first place. And speaking of forgiving, she was the first to forgive you when you nearly took her head off the first time you ever met her. So don't stand there and attempt to lecture me on shit you clearly don't understand."</p><p>"You will never see this for what it is," Dinah said, looking at him, "but don't worry Oliver, when she takes off again, the rest of us will still be around."</p><p>"Yeah, you've really been here for me when I needed a friend," he said flatly. "Go home, Dinah." He headed for the door once more.</p><p>"Unlike her, you can be sure I will be when you need it."</p><p>"I won't need it," he responded evenly, stalking out the door and slamming it shut behind him.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Chloe looked up when she heard the elevator reaching the top floor of the Watchtower and smiled softly when she checked the cameras, being there, being able to see Oliver every day, it felt unreal. She had missed her life so much, she had missed Clark and Lois, but most of all, she had missed Oliver. They had been spending so much time together before the Suicide Squad kidnapped him, not a day went by when they didn't at the very least exchange emails, text messages and phone calls, so to go from that to not allowing herself to contact him at all, it had been a big change.</p><p>Both of them had been reluctant to let the other out of their sight, but Chloe had forced Ollie to leave her at the Watchtower every day and go to work and patrol. Even if not as long hours as they used to before, both of them still had work to do. She was still in charge of the Suicide Squad, even if she'd been doing most of her work from the Watchtower out of convenience, and Oliver still had a multi-millionaire empire to run after all.</p><p>Regardless, she was glad to see him back already, she didn't want to spend anymore time away from him than it was completely necessary.</p><p>A smile touched his mouth, replacing the frown that had been there as he spotted her across the room. "Hi," he murmured, crossing the floor and moving to her side, sliding his arms around her instantly. He dipped his head and kissed her urgently, threading a hand through her hair.</p><p>She didn't have time to reply, not with words anyway, she kissed him back just as urgently and pulled him to her, her heart beating faster instantly. Even though she'd been back for days, she still missed him terribly.</p><p>He hauled her off her feet, wrapping one hand around her thigh and hiking it up to wind around his back as he carried her over to the pallet of blankets and pillows they'd been sleeping on since she'd been back.</p><p>Chloe didn't hesitate before wrapping her arms and legs around him, laughing quietly against his lips as he laid her down on the bed, "I take it that you missed me?" She asked brightly.</p><p>"Every minute I'm not with you," he said honestly, covering her body with his own.</p><p>Her chest tightened a little and she nodded, her face softening as she lifted her hand to brush her fingers over his face, "same here."</p><p>He turned his head and kissed her fingertips, then turned to look at her once more. "I love you."</p><p>"I love you," she whispered, brushing her fingers against his bottom lip.</p><p>He smiled, gazing down at her intently. "Marry me."</p><p>Chloe stilled and blinked a couple of times, her eyes widening, "Oliver?"</p><p>"I know." His voice was soft. "I know it probably sounds crazy. And this isn't how I'd planned to do it, but..." He shook his head a little. "The lives we live, things are always going to be crazy." He kissed her softly then pulled away to look at her again. "Marry me, Chloe."</p><p>Her chest tightened and she blinked a couple of times, looking away from him and holding her breath for a long moment before looking at him again, "we've both been through a lot and I know you're afraid I'm just going to disappear again, I don't think this is the right time, Ollie..."</p><p>He swallowed hard at that, shaking his head. "No. I mean, I am scared that something's going to take you away from me again, but...I love you," he whispered. "And I want you to be my wife."</p><p>With a deep breath, she looked up at him again, her eyes bright and she swallowed hard, "I love you," she whispered back at him, "and I don't ever want to be with anyone else, but Ollie... I don't want to ruin anything."</p><p>His chest tightened at that. "Oh." He looked down, falling silent.</p><p>Chloe took a deep breath, her chest also tightening at the look on his face so she wrapped her arms tighter around him, "marriage scares me," she admitted in a whisper, he deserved the truth at the very least.</p><p>"It's okay," he murmured, shifting so he was lying down beside her.</p><p>"Ollie," she breathed, shaking her head and turning to face him, "don't do that."</p><p>He pulled her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm not doing anything," he promised. "It's okay. I get it. I really do." His voice was soft.</p><p>She wrapped her arms around him and shifted closer to him, then took a deep breath, "if it's just us two, maybe nothing will go wrong."</p><p>He buried his face against her neck. "It's all right," he murmured, rubbing her back gently.</p><p>Chloe closed her eyes tightly and shook her head a little, "what if something else happens?"</p><p>Oliver held his breath for a moment. "We always run that risk, don't we?"</p><p>"Yes," she whispered, tightening her hold on him and shaking her head again, her stomach and chest tight, "we can't waste time because we might not have much more of it."</p><p>"We might have all the time in the world." He swallowed hard, pulling her against him and lifting a hand to her cheek. "Let's not freak out about what might not happen."</p><p>"There's still a lot we have to take care of, Ollie," she whispered, taking a deep breath and looking up at him, "and I'm still in charge of the Suicide Squad."</p><p>"I know. I know the odds are bad." He exhaled, shutting his eyes.</p><p>Chloe twisted her fingers around his shirt and held on to him tightly for a moment then stilled, looking up at him and holding her breath, "come with me."</p><p>His eyebrows furrowed a little. "Come with you where?"</p><p>"If I have to go lead the Suicide Squad fight the VRA, if I have to be underground again, come with me. You will be safer there, Ollie and you won't be able to wear your uniform, but at least you won't be fighting them without plenty of back up." She told him, her heart beating faster against her chest, her eyes wide.</p><p>Oliver held his breath as he searched her eyes, more than a little shocked at her request. He brushed his fingers against her cheek. "Chloe." His voice was very soft.</p><p>She held her breath too, holding his gaze and waiting, she didn't think he was going to agree to it, but she had to try.</p><p>"I jumped off the roof of the Daily Planet with you without a second thought." He smiled a little. "Don't you get it? I'd follow you to the ends of the earth."</p><p>Blinking, she let out her breath and stared at him, her eyes widening more as she started to smile even though her eyes were teary, "you'll come? If I have to go?"</p><p>"Yes," he said without hesitation, kissing the corner of her mouth. "In a heartbeat."</p><p>Smiling more, she kissed him back and pulled him as close to her as she could.</p><p>"I love you," he whispered, tightening his arms around her. "I'm not gonna lose you again."</p><p>"I love you too," she told him again then took a deep breath and shook her head a little then smiled, "and I will marry you."</p><p>Oliver paused, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "It doesn't have to be right now. Just...someday. When you're ready."</p><p>"No," she shook her head a little, "we don't have to wait."</p><p>"I don't want you to feel pressured," he murmured, tracing circular patterns on her back.</p><p>"Ollie," she took a deep breath, "I love you and I trust you and I want to be with you, no one else," she told him quietly, "I don't want my fears to stop us. Not anymore."</p><p>He was quiet for a moment, drawing in a breath as well. "Lois came to see me earlier." His voice was soft.</p><p>Chloe blinked at the turn in the conversation and pursed her lips together, "is something wrong?"</p><p>"She was pretty upset with Canary." He propped his head up on one hand and gazed at her intently.</p><p>"What did she do?" She asked, cocking her head but keeping her arm around him.</p><p>Oliver let out a breath. "Apparently she said some things to Lois about you while they were in the mind-meld and Lois was pretty upset."</p><p>Chloe shook her head a little and sighed, "I'll talk to her about, Dinah already apologized, it doesn't matter."</p><p>"It does," he said softly, moving his hand to rest on her arm. "I talked to Canary."</p><p>She arched her eyebrows and stared at Ollie, "why?"</p><p>"Because she needed to be clear on exactly where things stand."</p><p>"Ollie, what happened in there, it's not real, she was freaked out," she told him quietly, "we can't hold it against her."</p><p>He gazed at her. "You said yourself that world was greatly propelled by our subconscious minds, Chloe." He brought a hand up to tuck some hair behind her ear. "I wanted her to know that I couldn't care less what she thought of you, and that she was wrong."</p><p>Chloe looked at him for a long moment then sighed softly, "we need to stick together right now, Ollie, what she said and what she thinks doesn't matter."</p><p>"It does to me," he said softly, looking down. "I don't want her or anyone else thinking that you'll turn against us. Not when I know with everything that I am that you never will."</p><p>"I would never..." she whispered, leaning in and kissing his cheek, "and as long as you, Lois and Clark know that, Ollie, that's all that matters to me."</p><p>He brushed his nose over hers. "All right," he whispered back, leaning his forehead against hers.</p><p>"How bad was it?" She asked quietly, searching his eyes.</p><p>"Which part?" he asked.</p><p>"Your talk with Canary," she whispered.</p><p>He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "I was harsh," he admitted.</p><p>"You were standing up for me," she whispered, kissing his cheek, "I would probably have been harsh if someone was saying things about you."</p><p>"She deserved it," he said quietly.</p><p>"What did she say to make both you and Lois so upset?"</p><p>Oliver winced a little, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "It's not worth repeating," he murmured.</p><p>Chloe held her breath and needed a little, "as long as you don't let it upset you anymore."</p><p>He kissed her softly once more. "Deal."</p><p>Nodding slightly, she watched him for a moment, "we have more important things to focus on."</p><p>"We do," he agreed, stroking her cheek lightly and searching her eyes. A smirk tugged at his mouth. "Does this mean I'll get to watch you boss those guys around more often? Because I gotta tell you...that was hot."</p><p>Chloe laughed softly at that and kissed him, "is that so?"</p><p>"It is," he informed her, kissing her back without hesitation. "But then you're always hot. And gorgeous." He lowered his mouth to her neck, kissing her there, as well. "And amazing." He kissed her collarbone.</p><p>She shivered a little and pulled him closer to her, "before we get distracted..." she told him quietly, smiling.</p><p>"Hmm?" He nibbled lightly on her skin, then soothed it with his tongue.</p><p>"I meant what I said, Ollie," she whispered, taking a deep breath, "I won't let my fears get in the way of us again, I do want to marry you."</p><p>Oliver paused, then lifted his head to look at her once more. "Are you sure?" he whispered.</p><p>Swallowing hard, she nodded a little and pursed her lips together, "yes, but I want it to be just us, I want it to be about <i>us</i>, not a wedding."</p><p>He smiled softly. "That's fine with me, Professor."</p><p>Chloe took a deep breath and smiled, nodding a little then leaning in and kissing him softly, "anytime you want to, I'm ready."</p><p>Oliver lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. "Ditto."</p><p>Her heart was beating fast as she watched him, holding his gaze for a long moment, "tomorrow," she whispered, she needed him to know she meant it and that she wasn't going to back down, just like he had trusted her enough to jump off the rooftop with her, she needed him to know she trusted him enough to push her fears aside and make this commitment.</p><p>His eyes widened a little. "Tomorrow? Really?"</p><p>"Yes," she told him, smiling and taking a deep breath, "I have to change my records, make sure I don't come up as 'dead' anymore so we can make it legal, but like I said earlier, I don't want to waste anymore time."</p><p>He smiled at her, his eyes bright. "Tomorrow then."</p><p>"Tomorrow," she agreed, shifting until he was laying on his back and she was laying on top of him, "and always."</p><p>"I love this plan," he whispered.</p><p>Chloe cupped his cheek in her hand and smiled, brushing her nose against his, "I love you."</p><p>"I love you, too, Chloe." He  smiled softly up at her.</p><p>With a deep breath, she held his gaze then grinned softly, "now that the important stuff is out of the way, we can get back to getting distracted."</p><p>Oliver simply chuckled before kissing her once more.</p><p>Chloe took a deep breath then kissed him deeper, her chest tightening a little, she could barely make sense of what had just happened, let alone what was going to happen tomorrow, but she could make sense that she and Ollie would never be apart again and there was nothing she wanted more, everything else they would deal with when the time came.</p>
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